Take a Different Look at the Neighbours
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SEPTEMBER 2018 Take a different look at Alert Clingendael the neighbours With Brexit and Trump, Europe needs a new geopolitical compass, write Luuk van Middelaar and Monika Sie Dhian Ho. Four tips for a new Europe policy. Luuk van Middelaar & Monika Sie Dhian Ho Ho Dhian Sie & Monika Middelaar van Luuk Farewell Brits, It’s time for a new Europe Today’s Europe is more than just a market; it is a community of destiny. That requires a different way of viewing ‘sturdy Germans’ and ‘Catholic French’, write Luuk van Middelaar and Monika Sie Dhian Ho Illustration Cyprian Koscielniak Clingendael Alert The Netherlands shouldn’t dramatize has more inhabitants than all the ‘Hanseatic’ Britain’s departure from the European states combined. Little can be achieved Union. Sure, it’s a downer for the economy without large member states. and a political blow, but not a catastrophe. Brexit may even help us to break the More importantly, the ‘British’ EU agenda established patterns of our foreign policy. supported by the Hanseatic states is And that is urgently needed: Brexit and outdated: the time when Europe revolved Trump require us to reset our geopolitical only around market liberalisation and compass towards our neighbours and relied on the US for security really is over. partners on the continent. Citizens in the Netherlands and Europe no longer just want the freedoms that the As inhabitants of the river delta between EU offers – studying or selling your wares the major powers that are Germany and abroad –, but also protection and support France, we have traditionally believed we for modernisation. They want action against have a particular affinity with the British: climate change, tax evasion and low-wage another maritime trading nation reliant on competition; an effective response to America and the sea for its freedom. In the irregular migration flows, terror networks EU you could count on London to promote and autocratic neighbours. For that kind the single market or sabotage French plans of Europe, new partners are emerging. for common defence. It is nonetheless true First, partners for a Europe that can that in practice the ambivalent Brits have not modernise: from economic deregulation to turned out to be the ally and kindred spirit attracting investment, in the digital economy, the Netherlands hoped they would be when in research and sustainability. Digital start- Britain joined the EEC in 1973. And yet many ups, innovation and clean industry as a in The Hague watch the imminent Brexit response to growing competition in the with anxiety. Grand words are proclaimed: global market. A Europe with a modern could a Franco-German bloc attempt a budget for today’s problems: somewhat power grab? Will the EU lapse into southern less money for farming and more to guard protectionism and profligacy after Brexit? the EU’s external borders. And secondly, And will we still feel at home in a Union partners for a Europe that protects: from without the British? a focus on business and consumers to a recognition that people are also employees The initial response has been a move to try and citizens. A Europe that supports rather and take over the British role. This spring, than undermines its social-market economy the Dutch Finance minister Wopke Hoekstra and welfare states. One that upholds the forged a new “Hanseatic League” with other values of the democratic rule of law. And one north-western European countries, teaming that is not naive with regard to multi-billion up with the Danes, Finns, Swedes, Balts euro investments from China, which have and the Irish (and in some cases Belgians economic benefits but come at a political and and Luxembourgers) to oppose the activist strategic price. French president Macron and his eurozone plans. The home audience was proud, Below the radar Dutch officials and diplomats even though the international press soon are already seeking out new partners for labelled it [Dutch PM] “Mark Rutte and such tasks. Interesting new coalitions the Seven Dwarfs”. It is of course sensible are emerging – alongside the ‘Hanseatic’ to join with like-minded voices to amplify states – to promote modernisation and one’s own. But as a diplomatic response the sustainability of the economy; with the Hanseatic move lacks credibility. To begin Benelux countries, France, Germany, Poland with, the numbers don’t stack up: a coalition and Spain. Likewise, the Dutch special envoy of exclusively small countries – even 10 or for migration, for example, has already toured 12 of them – will not produce any majorities the Sahel with her French, German, Spanish in the EU to launch any initiatives, nor and Italian colleagues. But practical behind- blocking minorities to stop undesirable the-scenes collaboration is not sufficient to plans. The population figure plays a role in thwart ingrained traditions and visibly reset the decision-making procedure. Italy alone our geopolitical compass. 2 Clingendael Alert The new coalitions need an audience. for political detachment (initially due to Show the Dutch public that Macron’s France neutrality and, after WWII, due to the Pax consistently features in these new coalition Americana) and a wariness of continental patterns. Not as the visionary, protectionist blocs in Europe. counterpart to the pragmatic, frugal Dutch, but as an essential ally for a European But that was 1988. A year later the Berlin Union that modernises and protects. In his Wall fell, the Cold War came to an end and speech to the European Parliament, Prime Europe gave itself a currency, an area free Minister Rutte explicitly referred to France of internal borders and a foreign policy. as a partner in raising European climate The British – nervous about the loss of ambitions. That is a start. sovereignty – participated half-heartedly if at all in those leaps towards more unity. Since then that foreign policy paved the way A fresh look requires a break for an age in which the Americans would with historical clichés no longer meet the cost of our security. With Trump – a brusque representative of this long-term trend – that age has indeed This fresh look at an open and dynamic dawned. It makes the reorientation of field does, however, demand a break the Netherlands’ European policy all the with historical clichés, with old images of more urgent. What should the government neighbours in which the pragmatic Brits do now? are our best friends, the Germans are a formidable and sturdy neighbour and the One: Europe is more than a market. Catholic, centralist French are in principle Recognise that it is growing into a suspect. That will require effort. There is community of destiny made up of states a seamless match with our historical self- and citizens that do politics together. It is image, from the Stadtholder William III who not only about technocratic haggling over held out against the Sun King Louis XIV product standards, beet prices and cohesion (and who with his Mary even became King funds, but also a political struggle around & Queen in London) to foreign minister values and interests in a shared arena, Joseph Luns who torpedoed De Gaulle’s about how to respond to new challenges plans in the 1960s (and pushed for British or threats – recognising that in Europe accession to the EEC). Or take the notorious we share not only a continent but also a speech on Europe which British Prime history, an identity and, hopefully, a future. Minister Margaret Thatcher gave in Bruges The yearning in The Hague for a ‘less in 1988. This was an overt attack on the political’ Europe is nostalgia for the lost push for more centralisation by (French) world of Maggie & Ruud. European Commission President Jacques Delors. Her vision of Europe was based on Two: look for partners who are right for the cooperation between sovereign states, that time. A European Union without the United are open to enterprise, as a pillar of the Kingdom will become a more open field for Atlantic community. In retrospect Thatcher’s the Netherlands. That requires a flexible and speech released the genie of Euroscepticism active stance with open lines to all countries. in her Conservative Party, which none of A fabric of varying partnerships also helps her successors managed to put back in prevent divisions in Europe – North versus the bottle. That speech also struck a chord South, West versus East – from solidifying in Brussels circles, particularly due to its and becoming entrenched, with all the institutional ‘heresy’. Someone who did attendant consequences for the Union’s appreciate Thatcher’s Atlanticism and free- credibility among its own public and on market-drive was Dutch Prime Minister the world stage. Ruud Lubbers, a no-nonsense businessman after the Iron Lady’s own heart. At that time Three: let go of the basic mistrust towards his support was understandable: her vision Franco-German cooperation. Naturally not resonated with our centuries-old tradition every plan emanating from Paris and Berlin of entrepreneurial spirit, a preference needs to be embraced immediately. Criticism 3 Clingendael Alert and adjustment are sometimes necessary. and his government, given the unilateral But it is also fundamentally in the interests emphasis in the public debate on ‘bringing of the security and prosperity of 17 million back the silver fleet’. Nevertheless, being Dutch people if 80 million Germans and ‘the most frugal of the bunch’ is perfectly 65 million French stick it out together, if their consistent with a vision of ‘value for money’. leaders trust each other and are willing to work together to give Europe as a whole the Finally, yes, Europe is full of strange people, capacity to act. dogmatic Germans, improvising Italians, chaotic Greeks, fiddling Romanians and Four: don’t treat the Dutch public merely more besides.